The Road to Outer Heaven
by Frank Hunter
Summary: This story explores Solid Snake's effort to join FOXHOUND, his relationships to Big Boss and Gray Fox, and his final field exam in South Africa. It all leads up to his first solo mission: the infiltration of Outer Heaven. Reviews are greatly appreciated.
1. Code Name

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 1: Code Name**  
By, Frank Hunter

Big Boss looked at the man who sat in front of him with an unsure sense of pride. This man, who had passed every rigorous physical and mental exam FOX-HOUND had thrown at him, was almost ready to join the ranks. This man was a success. But, it didn't make sense. His brother should have been the one. The Les Enfants Terrible project should have guaranteed…

Never mind, never mind about that. Leaning closer to the table, Big Boss examined the dossier in front of him silently while the man, David, stared at him in equal silence. He got the feeling he was being measured up.

_The boy has confidence_, he thought. _But his eyes…they aren't the eyes of a true soldier. Not yet…_

Breaking the silence, Big Boss spoke. "It says here you enjoyed a stint with the Green Berets."

"Yeah."

"Do you think that has adequately prepared you for what you are going to face here?"

"Yes sir."

"Not a chance."

Big Boss could see the anxiety his retort caused on the young soldier. The young ones were always so eager to prove themselves, so ambitious. But they have no idea the life that they are getting into.

_And he really is very green_.

"You seriously think I'm wrong? It says here you are twenty-three years old. Do you really think you have seen anything in those twenty-three years that prepares you for _this_? Do you think you saw anything in the Green Berets that hundreds of soldiers before you have not already experienced?"

The soldier's silence persisted, so Big Boss continued.

"FOX-HOUND is the best of the best. We are called on only for the most challenging and disturbing assignments. The things I have seen in my career you cannot imagine in your darkest nightmares."

The man stared down at the table as Big Boss looked across at him. His one good eye was unblinking.

"Can you honestly give me one reason why you feel you are prepared for this unit?"

The man looked up at him again. The frustration was obvious, but there was also resolve. He was keeping his cool.

"No. But you aren't going to let me make that decision, are you? You either want me or you don't."

Big Boss couldn't suppress a smile and glanced back at the dossier. "You're fluent in six languages; you've broken the records on several of our training exercises…_diverse_ training exercises. I've never seen someone excel so greatly at sharp-shooting, urban infiltration and CQC all at once. You've got the military history, and you've obviously got the drive. Let's face it you are a solid candidate for FOX-HOUND. Perhaps more solid than most."

David sat up straighter, filling with pride. _They always like it when you point out their strong points._

"I'm willing to take you on for one final field exam, if you are willing to continue."

"Yes sir."

"The exam will pair you up with a FOX-HOUND operative on a short, minimum-risk assignment." Big Boss paused for a minute, deciding to clarify. "Keep in mind, in FOX-HOUND, 'minimum-risk' does not mean your life is not in danger. You will be required to follow the direction of the operative you are paired with, as well as show some innovation on your own part to complete the assignment. In the end, the success of the mission, the scope of your actions, as well as the report from your partner will determine whether or not you may join this unit. Is this acceptable?"

"Yes sir."

"First thing's first. If you are going to be interacting with members of FOX-HOUND, you will need a code name. All unit members are known by their code names only."

"What's wrong with my real name?"

"Surely you're familiar with the code name system used by the Special Forces? The numeric system they use in S.O.G. and whatnot? The code names protect the identities of unit members so that they personally cannot be held responsible for any…unfortunate occurrences during a mission."

"Unfortunate occurrences?"

"Let me be frank. FOX-HOUND does not officially exist. Therefore, the missions we undertake also do not officially exist, do you understand? You will be an invisible operative from a non-existent organization. So, in case you are captured by the enemy, the less they find out about you, the less they will find out about us, and the more effectively we can complete yours and future missions."

Thinking out loud, Big Boss began to contemplate what to call this new operative."

"The code name always reflects an operative's area of strength and relative skill level, by combining an adjective with an animal."

"And what's the code name for the highest level of skill?"

Big Boss smirked at him again. "Fox. Only one man currently holds that title."

David nodded knowingly.

"You know about him, don't you?" Big Boss asked.

"Of course. Gray Fox is a legend. Anyone who's heard of FOX-HOUND has heard the stories about him."

"And you think that you deserve that kind of recognition too?"

The man didn't say anything, but Big Boss knew it was true. David didn't want to compare himself to Fox, but he really didn't believe he was inferior to anyone. Such arrogance…

"Don't get me wrong, you are a strong candidate but you have just failed that test horribly." The soldier looked up at him confused. "You don't deserve the Fox title for the sole reason that you think you _do_ deserve it. Confidence is good but conceit can get you and others killed."

Suddenly the idea hit him. The animal that defined this man was so incredibly obvious, such a perfect fit, that Big Boss couldn't believe it had taken him this long to think of it. After all, given their situation, it would only be right to finally pass on this code name.

"Your adjective will be chosen for your all-around ability and potential to handle a wide range of assignments. The adjective assigned to you is 'solid.'

David seemed to accept this, so Big Boss continued.

"The animal name…well it isn't 'fox,' but it still implies extraordinary skill. It is a name that has great meaning for me."

"Why?"

"That isn't a discussion for today. Your animal name is 'snake.'"

David contemplated this for a second, and seemed reasonably satisfied with the choice. He didn't protest like some of the cocky young recruits. Big Boss was relieved at his maturity, and marked the code name choice down in the dossier. He still remembered the ordeal he'd had with Blade Wallaby…

Big Boss then stood up and held out his hand. The other man took it and shook, standing up as well. They looked each other straight in the eye.

"Welcome to the unit, Solid Snake."

"Thanks. So who's going to be my mentor on this field exam?"

Big Boss smiled again, clapping Snake on the back and leading him from the room. "You wanted to know what it takes to earn the code name 'fox.' I'll show you. Let me introduce you to Gray Fox."


	2. The Value of the Fox Title

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 2: The Value of the Fox Title**  
By, Frank Hunter

Big Boss strode down a side hallway of the FOX-HOUND Command Center with the newly designated Solid Snake at his side. The latter was getting a bit anxious. It's true that Snake had a great deal of confidence in his own skills. That hadn't been shattered by Big Boss's interrogation and warnings. It's also true that he was hoping to be granted the top rank of "fox," particularly after breaking the training records on several of the entrance exams. Wasn't he good enough?

The immediate assignment of code names put a lot of faith in the commander's first impressions. While promotions were possible in FOX-HOUND, they were rare and often went uncelebrated. Most often, the name you were granted at your admission is the one you would make your reputation under.

Snake could see no immediate issue with his own name, besides the obvious sexual innuendo. He had opted not to voice his concern over that after Big Boss had confided in him that "snake" was a title he held to be very personal. He wondered why it meant that much. He also wondered that, if it was so important, what _he_ had done to deserve it. But, the commander had refused to discuss it.

Turning a corner, Snake spoke up.

"Sir, I was wondering if I could ask a question about Gray Fox."

"Go ahead."

"You know that story about him? Baghdad, in 1991?"

"Of course," Big Boss mused. "I remember that operation well."

"…so it's true then?"

"Which part?"

"The thirty-five soldiers he killed."

Big Boss laughed. "Yes, he did do that."

"And he was armed only with a Beretta and a combat knife?"

"Yes. You seem surprised."

Snake was taken back. "It…it just always seemed farfetched."

Passing a sign that directed to the "Training Center," Big Boss turned his head enough for his good eye to catch a look at Snake. "Fox doesn't think so," he said. "He always considered it to be a 'decent challenge.' He's done better."

_Better?_ Snake thought to himself. _Maybe the fox title is more serious than I'd thought_. It's not that he was losing confidence in himself, but if that legend and more about Gray Fox were true, then the limits on what he believed an operative capable of were being pushed. "If he's so good how come all the entrance exam records aren't set by him?"

Big Boss scoffed at Snake, knowing what he was hinting at. "If you don't learn to release these small grudges you're going to get yourself in trouble. Your code name is "Solid Snake," because it suits you. If you do deserve "fox" we can discuss it when and if you find yourself capable of competing with Gray Fox. For now, drop it."

An embarrassed silence persisted for a moment while Snake deeply wished he'd kept that to himself. Then, Big Boss more directly answered the question.

"The truth is that Gray Fox never took the entrance exams. In his case, it was never necessary."

"You knew him before he joined, then?"

Big Boss nodded slowly. "I wish FOX-HOUND could take credit for his training, but it would be a lie. As long as I've known that man, he has been a uniquely gifted soldier. You'll see."

The two had just reached the Training Center and made their way into the Rifle Range. FOX-HOUND's HQ was full of useful training scenarios and practice areas. Snake had been down here once already for his own entrance exam. The Rifle Range, though, was fairly standard. He'd expected to find Fox doing something more high level and "unique," as Big Boss had put it.

And, once inside the Rifle Range, he would not be disappointed.

There was no one standing at the counter. No one was there with a firearm. No one was there to practice. For a moment, Snake thought that Big Boss had made a mistake and that Fox would certainly be elsewhere. But, when he chanced a look out onto the range, he knew that he was wrong.

There was the silhouette of a man, standing very still, in the middle of the dimly lit range. Snake knew from experience that, in normal firing ranges, it was illegal for anyone to cross the counter and go out there for training, but nobody stopped this man. Big Boss just leaned against the back wall, crossing his arms, and watched. Snake followed suit and stared out into the range.

This range was set up to launch a series of cardboard targets up off the floor for a short period of time. The idea is that the shooter can put a bullet into each target before it goes back down. The situation perplexed Snake, as he didn't understand what benefit Fox would get by standing in the middle of it all. The advantage of such a training exercise was to improve accuracy at range. But, as the system started up, the meaning became apparent.

The lights flashed on brightly, and Snake could see the soldier's back was to them. His hands shot up and out from his sides, the light glinting off the objects in them. On closer inspection, Snake could see he was holding two large machete knives. Then, the man dropped to a squatting position with one leg straight out to his side.

The first target stood up on Fox's left and his contracted leg kicked out instantly. In a flash, he had crossed past the target and the top flew off, severed at chest level. Fox brought himself to an instant halt once the cut was complete. A second target popped up across the range and, guided by the sound of it, the soldier pushed himself into a handspring. Never losing his grip on his blades and never sparing a glance at the target, Fox closed the distance and brought his "assailant" down at the neck.

Snake, awestruck, watched this dance continue for eighteen more targets. Each strike was as clean and precise as the last and, had the cardboard cutouts actually been human, each one would have pierced at least one vital organ. The fluidity in his movements was inhuman.

Snake had gravely overestimated his own abilities it appeared. Given a gun, he could probably have hit every target in the chest area before losing it, but the level of detail that went into each of Fox's kills far surpassed anything he was capable of. This was on top of his ability to catch each target at an arm's length before it was retracted. Before he knew it, the twenty targets were lying in forty pieces on the floor with Fox standing once again in the middle of the room, arms at his sides. This time, he faced them.

"You did more last time," Big Boss shouted out to him.

"I haven't eaten supper yet," came the reply from the range. Closing the distance between them, Fox re-sheathed his machetes and hopped the counter, standing face to face with Solid Snake for the first time.

His build was tall and muscular, and his skin was pale as bone. His hair was bright silver. Snake wondered if this was the reason he was called "gray," or if there was some deeper meaning to that. However, the most striking feature he noticed were the smooth patches of skin over the areas around his nose and ears. The nose looked partially reconstructed, but the ears simply weren't there. "That's quite a wound," Snake said, more thinking out loud than anything. "Where did you get it?"

Fox pinned Snake in his gaze, unblinkingly and uncomfortably. Eyeing him as he would a helpless rodent, Fox asked Big Boss, "Who is this?"

"Gray Fox, meet Solid Snake. If it's alright with you, you'll be taking him out on assignment tomorrow. Show him the ropes."

Finally peeling his eyes away from Snake, Fox looked at Big Boss and smirked. "…Snake?" Big Boss nodded and, still grinning, Fox looked back to the new recruit. "Quite the name to live up to, Solid Snake."

The two shook hands tightly, Snake still not quite sure why his code name was so important. "Thanks."

Staring into him once more, Fox answered the previous question. "My wounds are my own business. We'll have much to talk about before I take you into battle, but that is a personal question."

Big Boss took a step backwards, toward the door. "Well," he said, "you two have quite a bit to discuss, then, before tomorrow, so I take my leave. I'll see you both for briefing at 0600. And Fox…" the two looked at each other in a moment of sincerity. "…keep an eye on him."

Fox gave a sharp nod and Big Boss left the soldiers alone in the room. Looking back at Snake and pulled the machete out of his right sheath. Holding it out, handle first, his mouth lifted up into a smirk once more. "Care to try?" he asked.


	3. Professional Relationship

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 3: Professional Relationship**  
By, Frank Hunter

Entering FOX-HOUND's small dining room, Solid Snake and Gray Fox got themselves a serving of the evening meal and sat down at a vacant table. Snake wasn't too surprised at the low quality of the food being served. It seemed that regardless of how high you rose in the military, the dining never improved much.

"I would suggest," Fox told the newcomer, "if you are serious about this business, you find yourself a sturdy combat knife. You can usually take one out on an assignment as long as it doesn't have any markings or labels connecting it to the military."

Snake had turned down Fox's offer to practice with the machete. Blades, as he told his mentor, were not a weapon of choice for him.

"Why do you put so much stock in edged weapons?"

"A knife can be more deadly than a gun at close range. Sometimes, it's beneficial to switch quickly between the two. The boss knows a stance that maximizes your potential to do that. He could show you if you asked."

Snake nodded, taking a bite of his meal. This quickly reaffirmed his concern over how bad the food actually was. "I'll keep that in mind."

"What turned you off to blades?" Fox asked him, beginning an attempt at his own dish.

Snake laughed. "No. You tell me how you scarred your face, then I'll tell you that story."

Smirking at his plate, Fox thought about this. "We're both entitled to our secrets," he answered.

"Well if we're both keeping secrets, what are we going to talk about?"

"Only the job, Snake. You get to know too much about a man and it becomes harder to work with him." Fox mused for a few moments in silence while the two continued to eat. Snake was unsure of how to progress the conversation any further. Fox seemed reluctant to talk about his personal life and he certainly was not going to volunteer details about himself that weren't welcome.

Fox eventually broke the silence with a thoughtful whisper.

"Snake…"

"Hm?"

"Nothing. It's just interesting the boss finally decided to give someone that name."

Getting a bit fed up, Snake decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for hours. "What _is_ it about the snake title that's so significant? It's not just a rank, is it?"

Fox shook his head. "Big Boss didn't tell you?"

"No."

Fox looked at Snake, contemplating for a second. "I suppose it couldn't hurt for you to know. He's never tried to keep it secret or anything and you're bound to find out anyway." Seeing the curiosity in Snake's expression, Fox smiled again and told him.

"'Snake' used to be the boss's code name."

"The _boss's_ code name?!"

"Yeah."

"Why would he give it to _me_?"

"Hell if I know. He must see something in you," Fox answered. "More than me, anyway," he added lightly, sipping his drink.

The humor was lost on Snake who no longer held any resentment for the title given to him. His confusion, though, doubled. Big Boss must have known something more than he let on. Their interview wasn't so in depth that Snake saw himself becoming the commander's protégé. He hadn't even gotten the impression that Big Boss liked him very much. This turn of events was very unexpected.

"You see why I've been sitting here pondering this?" Fox interjected.

"Yeah I do. What do you make of it?"

"I really don't know. You seem like a good guy Snake, and you're probably an exceptional soldier, but the boss is in a league of his own."

"A league of his own? What about you?"

"Me? Heh. I know my limits, and I can say without embarrassment that they are behind his."

_What IS this place?_ Snake wondered to himself. Could it even be possible that the old man was a better fighter than the swordsman sitting in front of him? How could that even be feasible? The more time Snake spent around FOX-HOUND, the more he doubted that there even _were_ limits on human potential. And _why_ would he deserve Big Boss's code name?

Questions without answers. Snake only hoped that time spent in the unit would bring those answers to him. However, that would only be possible if he could succeed tomorrow…he would have to focus first and wonder later. Snake collected his thoughts.

"What is this field exam I've gotta go through tomorrow?" he asked.

Fox shook his head. "We're being dispatched to South Africa. That's all I know right now. We both will get filled in at briefing tomorrow."

With that, Fox stood up and looked Snake square in the eye. "Forgive me for being serious for a moment, but it is important that you realize something. Tomorrow really is not an exam. Both of our lives will be invested in the success of the mission. Depending on the circumstances, they might be relying on your actions."

Snake kept silent, feeling the impact of Gray Fox's words.

"This is very normal in FOX-HOUND and I don't suppose it should be an issue for you. However, I don't know you well enough yet to trust you fully with my life. Like I said, you seem like a good guy and a decent soldier, but you're obviously green."

Snake felt a slight contempt rise in his chest, but opted not to lash out at his mentor just then. He let him finish.

"Tomorrow you do _exactly_ what I say, when I say it. Here I may be your friend, but on the battlefield I am your superior and this is my operation. If you can keep up with me I will have no problem ensuring that you make it into FOX-HOUND. If you get in my way, snake or not, I will have you out of this unit before debriefing. Is that clear?"

"Clear," Snake muttered, restraining himself. And he'd thought this relationship was going so well.

Just then, Fox lost his serious demeanor and that smirk came back to his face. He clapped Snake on the shoulder. "Good," he said. "No worries, you'll do fine. If there's nothing else, I'm retiring for the night. I'll see you tomorrow morning at briefing."

Snake nodded and watched Fox leave the room, the remains of his meal still on the table. Fox's professionalism was striking. Snake realized he'd meant no offense, but he was very blunt. It seemed that nothing came between the fox and his prey…

Snake felt that his mentor had been wrong about one thing though. Regardless of what happened tomorrow, Fox would come out of it alright. Snake would not be able to do anything to risk that man's life. He was too serious about this work. He would, however, need to watch his own back. FOX-HOUND was indeed more intense than he could ever have imagined. If he was going to survive in this unit, Snake would have to raise himself to a level of skill he had not felt possible before.

Draining his glass, Solid Snake stood up as well. Starting tomorrow, he would begin to hone himself. He would live up to the title he was given. He would not disappoint Big Boss and Gray Fox. He would succeed in this first mission.

Snake left the dining hall and headed for the registrar. He'd find his living arrangement there, and he dearly needed to get some sleep.


	4. Briefing

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 4: Briefing**  
By, Frank Hunter

The next morning the three men found themselves in a briefing room at 0600. Solid Snake sat with Gray Fox at a large conference table, with Big Boss pacing up and down the other side. Snake's heart raced at the anticipation of this field exam. Fox seemed to keep himself more composed.

"Something of great value has been stolen from a small island nation in the middle of South Africa," Big Boss started. Snake could tell the commander was speaking more to Fox than himself, but at the moment it didn't really matter. He would prove himself here and soon enough he would be on a mission of his very own.

"Who's the culprit?" Fox asked.

"Intelligence suggests that the thieves were agents of the South African National Party. There have been high altitude aircraft watching the targeted nation for some time. It would seem this is the first offensive action taken."

Snake chimed in. "What's the island nation called?"

Big Boss glanced at him quickly. "Outer Heaven. It isn't much more than a large fortress, but it's creating a lot of noise in the United Nations."

"There has been a lot of controversy around the ending of apartheid over the last few years," Fox added.

"Yes, South Africa finally did away with the policy last year when the ANC was voted into power, but it would seem the National Party isn't giving into Mandela's victory so easily."

"They want a trump card?" Fox asked.

"Yes, it would seem so," Big Boss replied. "Something to 'persuade' the ANC to allow them a return to power. Something to grant them a bit more muscle. Discrimination is a powerful motivator, and the NP managed to find what they were looking for right in their own backyard. In Outer Heaven."

Snake was beginning to feel lost. "What exactly was stolen?"

Big Boss shook his head. "It's classified information, so we aren't sure. We know that they were blueprints, but the Outer Heaven government is refusing to tell the United Nations exactly what they were for. But, like I said, they are being quite vocal about getting those plans returned."

Fox continued. "Whatever they are, the South African NP is certain it will be enough to return them to power?"

"At the very least."

Fox thought for a second, before smirking. "But we don't work for the Outer Heaven government. Why are we involved?"

Big Boss returned the smile. "If the United States can get its hands on those blueprints, not only can we find out exactly why this situation is so severe, but we can bring both nations to the negotiating table. The NP is not in power anymore, and the South African government sees this whole mess as a misunderstanding. The last thing they need after finally achieving peace is war with an island nation."

"Humanitarian motives?" Snake asked. "Seems like a long way for the U.S. to go to ensure the rights of a nation as small as Outer Heaven."

Big Boss looked at him again. "No job is too big, too small or too difficult for FOX-HOUND," he said. "Also, we really _are_ very curious to see what could possibly cause this much of a stir. Worst case scenario is that Outer Heaven is developing nuclear missile capacity, and we don't need a small, volatile island nation to have that capability."

"So the mission is to steal back these blueprints for the United States?" Fox asked.

"Yes."

"Where are they?" Snake added.

"They've been tracked to a small NP-controlled bunker, not far from Johannesburg."

Snake was taken a bit aback. "We're infiltrating a government facility?"

"Yes. Problem?"

"Why was this considered a low-risk assignment?"

Big Boss suppressed a chuckle. "Because at least some of those government types will try to arrest you before they kill you."

Fox was still all business. "What's the insertion method?"

Pulling out a map and setting it on the table, Big Boss went into the details. "You'll HALO drop into South Africa. The LZ will be near the town of Zamdela, about 10 miles south of your target." He pointed at a small mark on the map and traced a line north northwest. "The two of you will make your way to the bunker on foot from there."

The commander pulled a satellite image of the bunker out as well, and placed it on top of the map. "Once there, you'll need to find a way inside, locate those blueprints and retrieve them. I'm also going to ask that you don't _look_ at the blueprints any more deeply than is necessary to determine what they are."

"How do you expect this mission to be completed effectively if you don't want us reading what we're picking up?" Snake asked, surprised.

Fox leaned over and spoke to him. "Secrecy is not unusual."

"And those blueprints are top secret," Big Boss added. "The more people that see them the more of an international security risk there is. It isn't that I don't trust you, but the less everyone knows about this project the better."

He continued. "Anyway, you will find your way inside using any and all means at your disposal. Weapons and equipment are OSP."

"We're going in unarmed?!" Snake blurted, alarmed again.

"You really are surprised at how FOX-HOUND operates, aren't you?" Big Boss asked, obviously amused. Snake could tell Fox was grinning next to him again. "Any military issue weapon can be traced back to us and the last thing we need in the case of a failure is to have the infiltration pinned on America. If you _are_ caught, the U.S. will deny any knowledge of your involvement in South Africa."

"What about if we succeed?" Snake asked. "They'll know then, if you plan on bringing them to a negotiating table."

"Leave the diplomacy aspect of the mission to me." Big Boss continued as Snake quieted down. "Now you are authorized to use any method of search and interrogation you'd like to find these blueprints, but I ask that, if possible, you keep the casualties to a minimum. Once again, in the eventuality of failure, we don't need a high body count complicating things."

Fox was beginning to look bored.

"Once you have the blueprints secured, exfiltrate the base and return to the LZ 10 miles to the south. You can radio for evac there, and a helicopter will be dispatched for immediate pick-up and transport to the airfield where your ride home will be waiting. Because of the small scale and short time-span of this mission, I will be your only radio support. Don't forget my frequency: 140.85. Any more questions?"

Snake shook his head, and Fox just stared.

"Alright, the plane leaves in thirty minutes. I suggest you get prepared. It is a long trip to South Africa."


	5. Double Down

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 5: Double Down**  
By, Frank Hunter

Later that day, a plane glided fast over the Atlantic Ocean with two soldiers sitting in its cargo bay.

"You're nervous."

"No."

"That wasn't a question."

Solid Snake didn't look up, even for an instant. There was no use arguing with Fox. He was astute and confident, as always it seemed. Snake had never met a soldier as apparently flawless. Contemplating his own unease, he reached for his pack of cigarettes.

"It won't help you to be nervous. Nervousness will lead to carelessness and that can get a man killed. Take some deep breaths."

Snake placed a cigarette between his lips. "I plan on it," he said, lighting the tip.

"Heh," Fox chuckled. "Well that's one way."

The two sat there a few moments more. Snake took several long drags out of his cigarette and watched as the smoke filled the enclosed space. He knew what was really bothering him, what was actually weighing on his mind. It wasn't that he didn't trust Fox, but he wondered whether the other man would understand. Fox seemed to have a very different world view. On the other hand he'd also been around longer and he might be able to provide a satisfactory answer.

Snake decided to try his luck.

"Something feels wrong about this assignment."

"How so?"

"Well first, the U.S. government stepping in for an island nation like Outer Heaven? It doesn't make sense; we have no vested interest there."

"You really didn't buy the boss's tale of humanitarianism?"

"No, and his ulterior motive of curiosity was pretty flimsy too."

Fox nodded. At least he seemed to consider this seriously.

"I told you at the briefing," he said finally. "Secrecy is not unusual."

"Secrecy is one thing, but this may be a blatant lie on the part of Big Boss. Are we always expected to operate in the dark like this in FOX-HOUND?"

Fox considered this a little longer, while Snake puffed at his cigarette.

"Let me tell you something about the boss."

Snake looked straight at him for the first time since the discussion started, attentive.

"The boss is a patriot. A _true_ patriot. The man has done things for his country that you and I cannot fathom. He fought the Cold War and lost countless friends and allies, some by his own hand. The pain he went through was all undertaken in the name of his country. The boss…finds significance in his patriotism."

"You respect patriotism?"

"No, I respect significance. Snake, there is nothing more meaningless than a soldier who does not understand what he fights for. Becoming a simple tool in a politician's war will not give your life worth. I am not advocating a blind faith in your government, but I am suggesting that you find a reason to fight."

"What's your reason?"

Fox looked at him as though the answer should be glaringly clear. "My reason is the boss. I've seen what he has managed to build by embracing his patriotism. He is truly an inspiring man. I respect and admire him, and I have no issue devoting myself to his aims, at least for the time being."

"For the time being?"

"Yes, and that is good enough for me, for now. My faith in the boss is enough to allow for a few botched details on an infiltration assignment. The simple fact is that we are soldiers and we know what we need to know in order to accomplish this mission. It will be for the best in the end."

Snake removed the burnt out cigarette butt from his mouth and tossed It to the floor, stepping it out. The dark room fell into silence again. Without windows, the two men had no way to see that they were already crossing over into African airspace.

Snake knew better than to call Fox hypocritical, but his devotion to Big Boss did not coincide well with his position against blind faith. There must be something else there. Big Boss must have done something for him, something to earn this kind of trust. It wouldn't have come lightly from a man like Gray Fox, but once you've earned it, Snake could see that he was a remarkably loyal ally.

He considered asking Fox this question as well, but decided against it. The answer would lie deep within his personal life and, Snake already knew, Fox was very unwilling to discuss that.

Setting his worries to the side, Snake decided to place a little faith in Big Boss himself. After all, he knew that his career in FOX-HOUND wouldn't go very far if he didn't trust his CO. Plus, the significance behind the snake title made it fairly clear that Big Boss trusted him more than he would have expected. Would it be so wrong to return that a little bit?

Maybe in the future he would ask Big Boss what he had done to turn Fox so completely to his side. In the meantime, he would have to let it go. The mission was more important to focus on at this point. Not only would it serve to get him into the unit permanently, but Snake also took a great deal pride in his work. He wouldn't stand for failure.

A curious Fox cocked his head as Snake pulled a bandanna from his pack and began tying it around his head. Feeling his eyes on him, Snake told his mentor, "It's for luck."

"There's no such thing as luck on a battlefield," came the reply.

Just then the pilot's voice crackled over the loudspeaker. "Entering South African airspace. T-minus 10 minutes to drop zone."

Fox nodded slowly, standing up. He checked to make sure his knife was firmly in place. Tightening his bandanna, Snake followed suit. He hadn't brought a knife, not because he was necessarily disregarding Gray Fox's advice, but he hadn't had the time to acquire one before the mission.

"You've HALO jumped before?"

"Yeah, in training for the Special Forces. I've never done it into combat."

"That's fine. Try to follow me. If we get separated, this will become needlessly complicated."

Snake nodded. It would be a shame to disappoint his mentor before they even set foot on the ground.

One of the crew stepped into the cabin from behind them. He looked about ready to bark a couple of orders at the soldiers, but seeing that the two were already at their feet and at the ready, he closed his mouth and approached the hangar door. He ran a couple of checks on the opening mechanisms while Snake and Fox watched in silence.

"T-minus 5 minutes."

Finishing his diagnostics, the crew member moved to the control panel and pressed the sequence to open the door. "Put your masks on," he directed the soldiers. Unhooking the gear from their belts, Snake and Fox affixed the masks to their faces.

To Snake, the opening procedure seemed to take forever. The sun glowed out in the distance, setting on the horizon, and the golden light spilled over the men slowly as the door ground into its open position. Fox braced himself immediately and Snake, taking a moment to register that a gust of air was about to blast into the cabin, followed suit.

The wind hit them like a wall, but the two men held their position and soon the worst of it was over. They couldn't hear the countdown any further over the sound of the air, but watching the hand motions of the crew member at his station they counted down in their heads. The minutes ticked away to seconds and then it was time.

The crew member's hand gestured steadily.

3…

2…

1…

He swung his arm in a circular motion toward the door.

Fox turned quickly, tapped Snake on the arm and then made a run for the open door. Snake kept at his heels as both of them reached the end of the landing and found themselves free falling, as the plane disappeared into emptiness above them, presumably heading for the landing strip it would be waiting at.

As with everything Gray Fox did, he seemed to have a natural comfort with skydiving. He adjusted immediately into a head-first position and his speed picked up exponentially. Snake found it more difficult than he'd anticipated keeping up.

Clouds rushed past, ever more quickly, as the trees grew larger and larger on the ground. With a resolution not to let Fox out of his sight, Snake streamlined his body as best he could; falling faster than his gut told him was smart. The wind bit at him, even through his suit, but he thought of nothing else but the mission. Keep up with Gray Fox. Land safely. Get the blueprints. This was his entire life.

The miles shot past.

In another display of acrobatic excellence, Fox somersaulted into a spread eagle, slowing his fall. Snake knew this would be coming, and took the opportunity to close the distance between them. Dropping next to Fox, he awkwardly tried to mimic the maneuver, performing something that didn't look so smooth, and knocked the air out of his lungs, a dangerous effect given their circumstance. However, it achieved the same end, and Snake found himself pulling his parachute with Fox, at the same altitude.

Gliding slowly now, the village of Zamdela was now visible through the trees. The soldiers passed over the town, aiming their landing slightly to the north. They didn't want to land on top of the civilian population, but they didn't want to land too close to their target either. Fox tried to gauge the distance through the fall.

Approaching the tree line, the two ducked into a protective position, guarding their heads with their hands. The branches would hurt, but they would be the final obstacle before hitting the ground. Fighting their way through the limbs, keeping their chins to their chests, the earth finally came into sight. Fox hit and launched into a sequence of flips and somersaults to kill his momentum and came to a stop eventually on all fours.

Snake dove into a barrel roll and slammed into the base of a tree, genuinely grateful that he hadn't cracked any ribs.

Collecting themselves, the two got up and removed the oxygen masks. They dropped them on the ground and buried them next to a tree, concealing the evidence that they had ever been there. "You alright?" Fox asked his protégé.

"Yeah," Snake said, hoping he hadn't seen the ordeal with the tree.

"Good." Fox left it at that, apparently unconcerned. He took a knee and activated his radio while Snake surveyed his surroundings.

"This is Gray Fox," he spoke into the receiver.

Snake's own radio tuned itself to frequency 140.85 and another, deeper voice projected into his ear. "Big Boss here. Any problems?"

"None at all. Smooth sailing."

"Glad to hear it."

"We're ready to proceed north on your go."

"Then go, and keep me posted."

"Understood. Commencing Operation Divine Fire," he said, switching his radio off. Standing up and turning to Snake he said, "It's time."


	6. The Eyes of a Fox

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 6: The Eyes of a Fox**  
By, Frank Hunter

The HALO jump had gone off without a hitch. No one had seen them and it was a straight run to the bunker from the LZ. Though both men had maps in their packs, Gray Fox didn't bother to check. The sun had now completely set and darkness overtaken the jungle, but his sense of direction was still impeccable and the two would be at their destination in no time.

Fox didn't have to spare a glance behind him to know that Snake was having trouble keeping up. His breathing was irregular and the sounds of his footsteps were becoming slightly more distant. But, he refused to slow his pace.

_The rookie needs to learn to keep up_, he thought. _You can't slow down a war, there's no reason to slow this._

So far, Fox was, as usual, unimpressed. Solid Snake was insubordinate, he had almost taken himself out on the jump, and now he was proving incapable of keeping up on what really would amount to be a short run. Even if this sort of performance was Green Beret caliber, which Fox seriously doubted, it would not fly in FOX-HOUND.

But Big Boss saw something in him. _Something earned him that code name._

The boss had never seen fit to use the snake title before, and there had been several candidates that had seemed to genuinely impress him. Fox couldn't say the same, though some probably were more qualified than this Solid Snake. Men had come and gone through FOX-HOUND, but skill alone would not be enough to earn that title.

_But that's the thing_, he mulled, as Snake almost ran into a branch. He still didn't lose a step. _The boss worked for years with his own son, and still didn't pass on that title._

Fox remembered the boy. Fair skin, blue eyes, long blonde hair he usually kept in a ponytail. Almost Aryan. He was physically built too, and reliable to boot. Fox had never worked with the kid of course, but he'd seen how he functioned in combat, with the boss and on his own. He really was a remarkable soldier, and in fact reminded Fox of himself when he was younger.

Though Big Boss had had several opportunities to bring his son into FOX-HOUND he had never actually done it. He was hard on the boy, almost as if nothing he did was good enough. In fact, the boss had always maintained a sense of hopelessness with him. It was like he would never be good enough…

All things considered, Fox didn't blame the kid for running off to fight the war in Iraq. Constant disappointment is not something anyone would want to deal with. But, that was one thing he'd never understood about Big Boss. Why would he treat his own son so harshly? His own son who was an exceptional warrior. And now, to pass on this title that the boy had all but earned to this complete stranger.

Fox stopped running. Taking a glance back at the soldier who was trying to catch his breath, he just became more puzzled. _His face…_

Unexceptional as he was, there was definitely something familiar about Solid Snake, and he may have just pinned it down.

_His face looks just like the boss's son._ The resemblance was uncanny and Fox couldn't believe it hadn't come to him before. It's because he hadn't seen the kid in years. In fact, he would probably be about Snake's age also.

The face aside though, the two were almost completely different people. Snake sported short, black hair and brown eyes. Though he was also built, military training would do that to anyone, and his skills were not nearly as developed.

_Still there is something strange here. There really is more going on than it would at first seem._

"Why are we stopping?" Snake asked between breaths.

"Patrols up ahead. We slow down, and slip past."

_I'll have to talk to the boss about this when we get back._ Fox knew this was not the time to be distracted. Faults or not, Solid Snake was his partner right now. He would work with what he had.

The two got down low, and stuck to the trees.


	7. The Right Stuff

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 7: The Right Stuff**  
By, Frank Hunter

Slowly, carefully navigating the jungle, the soldiers moved through the night like shadows on a wall. They kept out of sight, making hardly an audible sound, and avoiding more than one jungle patrolman. Before long they could make out the faint glow of electric light through the trees, and the vague silhouette of the building that was their target.

The foliage began to thin away, and the bunker was there in a small clearing. The structure stood only one story tall, with a single guard tower posted in the southeast corner of the near wall. Snake suspected that the majority of the building was located underground, but they would worry about that once they were inside.

Fox stopped again, kneeling down and pointing through the trees. Snake could immediately see what had drawn his attention. A two man patrol was standing guard at the border of the clearing. They weren't patrolling and it looked as though their only orders were to ensure nothing unexpected came out of the jungle.

Snake made the hand motion that indicated they should go around and his mentor, seemingly expecting this, just smiled and shook his head. Confused, Snake tried again, figuring Fox had just misunderstood the gesture, but again the superior indicated that he had no intention of going around. He gestured at Snake to kneel down with him and covered his mouth, so that his whispered voice would not carry.

"They'll be placed at intervals surrounding the entire base. There is no going around."

Snake mimicked the gesture with his own hand. "What's the plan then?"

"We need a hole through the outer defenses to get onto the base. We need them neutralized."

"How? We're unarmed."

Fox's smile grew even wider in response. "You tell me."

"What?!"

"This is _your_ field exam, Snake. You need to prove _your_ worth. I know what I can do. Your first assignment is to take out those two guards…and make sure they don't alert the base to our presence. Unless you aren't up to it?"

Snake was at a loss for words. The feat was dangerous and unnecessary, considering Fox was supposed to be here for support. But, at the same time, he knew that more often than not, FOX-HOUND missions were solo. Next time he would not have support, and it was very likely he would face a situation like this on his own. He also knew that this really was not a request. After a bit of whispered stuttering, he shut his mouth and managed a curt nod of his head.

"Good," Fox replied. "I'll keep an extra eye on things for you, just in case. Let's see what you can do." With that, Fox unsheathed his combat knife and quickly scaled the nearest tree, passing out of sight.

_He treats war like a game_, Snake thought as he moved stealthily closer to the pair of soldiers, who were BSing with each other about some nonsense or other. He was sure this sort of trivial mentality came with the security of being as excellent a soldier as Fox was, but even so this bordered on arrogant. It was like he thought nothing of war, as though it was as much a part of him as his body and his blood, that he could be so confident everything would turn out right.

Snake on the other hand, was not so confident. He came as close as he comfortably could to the end of the jungle. Since the soldiers had been standing next to the electrically lit base, he knew their night vision would not be as good as his own, and moved even a bit closer than his first impression told him was practical, taking cover behind a large tree. Surveying their gear, he saw that they were equipped with R4 assault rifles; a little bulky for Snake's taste but packing one would make him infinitely more comfortable. Holstered at their belts were Z88 pistols, similar enough to a Beretta, and a supply of Green Pineapples.

If he pulled this off right, he would not only match Fox's expectations and cut a hole through the enemy defenses, but the two could probably arm themselves sufficiently to deal with anything else that might come up. He thought for a second, watching their mannerisms and getting a feel for how they might behave when suspicious. It was unlikely he could smoothly take out both men unarmed without a single problem, and he knew that. He needed to keep under cover behind the trees. And, he needed one of those weapons…

Deciding on a course of action, Snake picked out a second tree a short distance away. He was positioned so that his hiding place, the second tree, and the patrol group made almost a perfect triangle. Certain that this was what he wanted to do, he felt around the ground for a rock. Finding one about the size and weight of a billiard ball, he decided it would do nicely. If these men followed standard military investigative procedure this plan just might work.

As soon as there was a lull in the soldiers' conversation, Snake took the rock and threw it with as much force as he could against the second tree. It made a loud, echoed CLAP before rolling off into the tall grass behind it. Sure enough, the sound drew both soldiers' attention and in an instant two flashlights were trained on the spot.

Shooting off a couple of rapid fire hand gestures, one soldier took the point and proceeded out of the clearing and toward the suspicious tree, R4 raised and ready to fire. The second did exactly what Snake had anticipated: he kept at a safe distance, weapon ready and covering the point man, and circled ever closer to Snake's hiding place in an effort to keep his comrade in perfect line of sight.

"Come out, chum," the point man said to the tall grass. "You're not allowed to be out here." The safety man kept getting closer…

The point man knelt down in the grass, scanning the area with his light. The adrenaline began pumping in Snake's veins. Opportunity would present itself in 3…2…1…

The safety man was right in front of Snake, with his back to him. Stepping quietly as close as he could, Snake took hold of the Z88 on the man's belt and in one quick motion unholstered it, and saw to his great delight that there was already a suppressor affixed to the barrel.

_Guess they don't want the residents of Zamdela hearing gunfire in the night…_

The original plan was to take the safety man hostage and persuade the point man to drop his weapon before springing into action. The suppressor made the plan infinitely easier though, and Snake made a split second decision as he removed the weapon from its holster. He cocked it, took quick aim, and fired a single shot. If he had confidence in anything, it was in his accuracy with a pistol, and sure enough the shot connected with the point man's head, taking him out of the equation.

The safety man whipped around, taking only a moment to realize what happened, and made an attempt to get his assailant into the sights of his R4. Snake dropped the Z88, prepared for this next battle. He took full advantage of the other man's momentum and his close range, grabbed hold of his arm, ducked under the rifle and slammed his wrist at speed into the tree. The shock forced the man to drop his rifle and Snake took advantage. Grabbing the back of his neck in a CQC maneuver, he twisted the man to take his balance and slammed him skull first into the rough forest floor, resulting in a muffled shout and knocking him out cold.

The combat high ebbed away as peace and quiet returned to the jungle. Snake collapsed, his back against the tree, genuinely amazed and impressed with himself for pulling off this stunt. He could hardly believe the whole thing worked, but only got a minute to pat himself on the back. Before long, out of the corner of his eye, he caught Fox dropping out of the decoy tree and striding over to where he sat. "Not bad rookie," he complimented in a hushed voice, that wide smile still across his face. "Wasn't sure you'd pull it together."

"Piece of cake," snake replied, trying to keep a cool attitude while still collecting himself.

Looking down at the unconscious man, though, Fox's entire expression changed into a scowl. "…you didn't kill this one."

Snake got to his feet, uncertain of the problem. "I didn't need to. Big Boss told us to keep the casualties to a minimum."

Fox looked amused for a second, nodding slowly, before throwing the fist which still held his knife into a quick backhand. It connected with the man's throat, and made a deep laceration; a killing wound.

Snake wanted to shout out, to protest this atrocity, but catching himself before doing something he'd regret he muffled it into a concerned grunt. He glared at Fox with deep resentment over the unnecessary death, coming up with the only argument he could at the moment.

"But Big Boss told us…"

"This man saw your face," Fox interrupted him. "The boss wants us to keep the bodies to a minimum and we will. We will not engage anyone that doesn't need to be engaged. But understand Snake, anyone who sees us needs to be taken out. Accept that fact, or you risk both of our lives."

The profile of Gray Fox in Snake's mind continued to grow. Excellent soldier, devout follower, slightly arrogant and ruthless combatant had been descriptors so far. Now "questionable morals" made it onto the list. Snake nodded at his superior, if only for the reason that he needed Fox's approval to pass this field exam. But, he still didn't buy the man's mentality toward taking unnecessary lives, and he was sure Fox would be aware of that. For now, he let it go.

The two searched the bodies and took weapons, ammunition and equipment. Snake strapped an R4 to his back, set the Z88 he'd fired into a holster at his side and stocked up on Green Pineapples. Fox took only a sidearm and two grenades.

"Why are you leaving the rifle?" Snake asked him, honestly.

"It's too heavy," he answered. "I don't need something like that weighing me down. Take the extra ammunition for yourself."

Snake didn't need to be prompted twice and stocked up on R4 ammo until his pouch almost burst. Between the two bodies they also found a pair of binoculars (which Snake also took) and split two combat rations. Dragging and hiding the bodies in the tall grass, the two moved into hiding behind the trees once more.

"Take out those specs you just got," Fox said, pointing to the binoculars, "Tell me if you see anything useful."

Snake raised them to his eyes and peeked out at the base. Through magnified vision he could see that the building was shaped like a big "U," with the ends pointed at them. The guard tower was at the right tip, as was a small service door that looked like their best chance to get into the base. At the center was a helipad."

Snake related all of this to Fox as he saw it. As he got to the helipad, though, he saw something that was a bit more interesting.

There was a big, built, blonde man in a heavily decorated military jacket, crossing the helipad. At his side was a small, thin African girl, skin black as night. She couldn't be any older than 16, and was dressed in commoners' clothing, with a head shaved almost bald.

"Sounds like you found the base commander," Fox told him. "The girl…your guess is as good as mine, but it's not unheard of for military groups in Africa to take in locals for training. Child soldiers and whatnot. She's probably dangerous. What are they doing?"

The man was talking to a squad of six soldiers, each of them wearing matching camo and black armbands. At the end of the brief, the men all saluted him, and marched off, moving through the base's main entrance. The commander himself took the African girl with him and followed behind the soldiers, moving out of sight.

Fox rustled into the tall grass, taking a look at the corpses the two had deposited there. There were no black armbands on these two.

"The commander will know where our blueprints are," Fox told Snake. "And the men with the black armbands are probably his personal detachment."

"So they'll know where to find the commander," Snake caught on.

"You've got it. See the plan?"

Snake nodded, smiling himself for the first time since setting down in South Africa. It was all clear.

"Good. First thing's first. We need to get inside."


	8. Infiltration

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 8: Infiltration****  
**By, Frank Hunter

The mission from there on out, much to Gray Fox's delight, was carried out efficiently and effectively. The guard up in the watch tower was neutralized by a single pistol shot; Snake was more than capable of aiming a firearm, even at long range, and Fox valued that skill. Sticking to the shadows, the two made it to the door which opened into the bunker, and managed to get it opened with only a knock. It seemed this unit was not expecting visitors tonight.

Fox "handled" that particular individual, ruthlessly as always it seemed, and gained the two access to the inside of the complex. They worked in tandem looking for the black bandannas, and it was here that Snake's true colors shone through. _Specialty in urban infiltration…_

Fox could see it. The young man moved fluidly down corridors and around corners, finding cover in unusual places, even once hiding himself in a locker. He showed a great deal of innovation and adaptation on the battlefield, impressing Fox once by hiding the corpse of another unfortunate individual who needed to be "handled" under a cardboard box. "Boxes," he told his mentor, "have a million and one uses." Gray Fox laughed the comment off, but was most amused by the fact that Snake didn't seem to be joking about it.

The hunt went on for almost two hours on that floor before the men found an elevator. Their suspicions were correct, and the majority of the base was, in fact, underground. But, while preparing to summon the elevator to their floor, it came on its own, forcing a short retreat down the hallway and behind a crate. Stepping off was a soldier with one of those unmistakable black bandannas around his arm. Paydirt. Fox pointed at him and then at his own eyes, marking the man as their target, and they watched his next move.

Mark was about to take a walk down the very corridor that the infiltrators concealed themselves in, which would have perhaps forced the pair into quick action, but he took notice of a small lavatory off to the side of the elevator. Apparently thinking about it for a moment, Mark hoisted up his belt and made for the bathroom. Fox grinned a wide grin, and after a short wait, indicated that Snake should follow him into the bathroom as well.

The room was empty, save for Mark who had apparently decided to take up a stall. By the time the two men had passed through the bathroom door, they could already hear the unwitting soldier tearing sheets of toilet paper off the roll. There wasn't much time. Fox turned the sink on to create a sound mask, and to relieve any suspicion in Mark's mind about what whomever opened the door was doing in the bathroom. He then moved and slid the deadbolt on the door to the locked position, and signed to Snake to retrieve their target and bring him out onto the floor. Snake nodded, and quietly positioned himself outside the closed bathroom stall. He braced himself.

The toilet flushed, and Snake kicked the door in, which slammed Mark on his back and sprawled him across the toilet, forcing the target to let out a small "Oof." Snake quickly worked an arm around his neck and pulled him out of the stall. The soldier began a vocal protest, but the butt of Snake's Z88 connected with the side of his head. "Shut up," Snake growled to him, and Mark obeyed, as the soldier dragged him out into the middle of the bathroom floor and turned him to face Gray Fox, who was holding his combat knife lazily at his side.

"If you struggle against him," Fox told the hostage, "I'm going to stab you in the heart. Do you understand?" Mark nodded, as slightly as he could, considering Snake's grip around his neck.

"And," Fox added, "if you try at all to lash out at me, _he's_ going to break your neck. Is _that_ understood?" The man again indicated an understanding.

"Then you're going to talk to us now. An item was stolen recently, an item of great value to its owner. It has turned up on this base. Do you know what it is?"

Mark stammered out a two word answer. "M…M…Metal G…Gear."

Fox's eyes narrowed in uncertainty. Snake spoke up. "It's a dossier we want."

"Y…yeah, the plans for M…Metal Gear. They're downstairs with the p…prototype."

"Prototype?" Fox asked him.

"The commander started building it when the plans came in. Headquarters wants it done fast."

"And where can we find it?" Fox asked again.

"Downstairs like I said! In the underground hangar on B2. Please let me go."

Snake tightened his grip on the man's neck. "Stop squirming."

"In a minute," Fox assured him, and Snake was certain it wasn't truthful. "Who is this commander?"

"C…Commander Steele? He's in charge of the base, and production on the prototype. That's all!"

"Who's the woman with him?" Snake queried into his ear.

"That's Suhn! She's his bodyguard," Mark wheezed out. Then as an afterthought, "They're both downstairs too. _Please_ let me go!"

"One more question," Fox told him, and pointed his knife at the black armband. The man cringed back a little bit. "Where is the rest of your detachment?"

"On B1, waiting for Commander Steele to come back! No one's allowed to be down there with him when he's got the plans out of lockdown."

Fox smiled at him. "Thank you."

"Please!" Mark pleaded him. "Please, please, you promised!"

"Don't worry," Fox told him. "We're not going to kill you." He nodded to Snake.

Snake was genuinely taken back by this act of…well, he guessed it was kindness although it still was not particularly kind. He cracked the Z88 against Mark's temple again, harder this time, putting the man out cold, and dragged him back into the bathroom stall, locking the door and crawling out underneath.

"Why the generosity?" he asked his teacher.

"Because a bathroom is a very conspicuous place to leave a corpse," Fox told him. "His comrades find him passed out on the can, they may just laugh at him. They find him dead on the can, and an alarm is immediately sounded. You need to work the situation. Besides, at this point we'll probably be out of here before he wakes up."

It had nothing to do with the man's cooperation. It was just what was more convenient for Fox at the time. _Ruthless_, Snake reminded himself. He should not have been surprised.

"To B2?" he asked, and Fox nodded, sheathing his knife once more. "Let's finish up."

They unlocked the bathroom door and made it across to the elevator without hassle. The car was still resting on their floor. Stepping inside they pressed the button for B2, for the underground hangar, and for their objective.


	9. Suhn and Steele

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 9: Suhn and Steele****  
**By, Frank Hunter

The elevator reached B1 quickly and thankfully no one got on, but it took almost a full minute to reach B2. The ride was silent; Fox stared straight into the closed doors and Snake knew better than to try and draw up meaningless conversation if it hadn't been provoked. But he was unsure about why the ride took so long, and a little anxious to feel the elevator slow to a stop. When it finally did and the doors slid to the sides, he understood.

The soldier they'd interrogated hadn't been exaggerating; B2 was a full sized and fully functional underground hangar. Snake stepped off the car and looked around in awe, and for what was seemingly the first time of the night, Fox looked unsure of himself. The entire hangar seemed to be an enormous construction project, and right in the middle, between the stacks of girders and tools, metal sheets and boxes upon boxes of ammunition, stood two gigantic metal feet. These feet, though not yet connected to any body the soldiers could see, still managed to tower over them on their own.

"What…what the hell are they building?" Snake asked and Fox just cut a hand in front of his throat in an irritated "silence" gesture. According to Mark, the base's commander was residing somewhere on this level, and there was no need to alert him to their presence.

Striding further into the hangar, the two men began to examine the construction materials. Most of it was solid metal, and looked like it would be molded into armor plating. Snake had seen similar armor attached to tanks out in the field. The ammunition also implied that this room might actually be an underground tank hangar, but then there were those feet; feet which could only belong to a monster but did not seem to yet support him. They did not know what to make of those, since neither of the men had seen anything like it before.

Getting a little lost in the maze of girders and steel, Snake stumbled onto something else that made his heart stop. Fighting the urge to yell for Fox, he went back through a couple of the twists and turns he had taken, found his mentor, and gestured for him to follow back to what he was looking at. Upon catching a glimpse, Fox's eyes went wide and Snake felt that, if he was inclined to speak, he would have found himself without words.

The warheads which lay on the platform Snake found were enormous and not standard military equipment by any stretch of the imagination. Though the writing on their exteriors was in Russian, there was no doubt in either of the men's minds what they were. Those warheads were nuclear. And there were six of them. Snake again fought off the urge to ask what would probably be a fruitless question.

Just then a loud slam echoed through the hangar, and a small light clicked on, on the opposite side of the room. Fox collected himself with some effort, and gestured to Snake to follow him swiftly and quietly away from the nuclear warheads, back past the mammoth feet, and toward the new sound and light source. As they drew closer, whispered voices could be heard, and turning a few more corners around metal girders and boxes of springs and gears, they saw the source of the sound. It was the base commander and his bodyguard. Both were huddled over a table, both with their backs to the two soldiers. On the table was a long piece of equipment that Snake could not quite discern between their two forms, and a number of scattered papers. _The blueprints…_

Fox led them just outside of their cover, drawing his Z88, taking aim and prompting Snake to do the same. Waiting just a moment once both of them had the commander in their sights, he spoke his first words since entering the elevator.

"Don't move."

Commander Steele did not so much as flinch, but his bodyguard, quick as lightning, drew her own pistol and trained it on Gray Fox. The two men cocked their weapons in return.

"What _exactly _do you think you're doing down here?" Steele asked them.

"That dossier there," Fox replied, in control of the situation as completely as Snake had come to expect from him. "Turn it over to me."

The commander chuckled a bit. "More mercenaries from Outer Heaven are you?" He turned around to face the two men. Snake tightened the grip on his pistol but Fox didn't seem phased by the motion at all. "Are you even _aware _of what your leaders would do with Metal Gear were it still in their possession?"

Thoughts of the nuclear explosives in such close proximity to them came to Snake in an instant. "And you think you're more capable of handling a weapon like that?" Fox asked. Snake knew that he still had no real comprehension of what this "Metal Gear" thing was, but Fox seemed all too willing to play the commander's game.

"We don't _need_ to handle it, son, we are in possession of these plans," he patted the desk behind him, "for our own safety, and that reason alone. We have them so Outer Heaven does not."

"Hah," Snake let out a small laugh. "You expect us to believe you're afraid of an island nation as small as Outer Heaven?"

Steele regarded Snake with a look of frustration and confusion. "Perhaps you didn't hear me. We are not afraid of the nation, boy, we are afraid of their weapon…of _that_." He pointed behind them, but neither man turned around or even moved their crosshairs from the target in front of them. The bodyguard, Suhn, would not risk pulling the trigger on one of the two while both still had their sights set on her commander. She knew it would be too difficult to take them both out quickly enough without losing him.

"We are building it," Steele continued, "to counter the threat that Outer Heaven is posing to the future, not just of our great nation but to all nations of the world."

"This nation isn't yours anymore," Fox told him. "Your bigoted party was ousted from power, you don't have this responsibility."

"Bigoted?" Steele both seemed to ask and muse. "You think this is about the squabbles the NP has had with South Africa's current leadership, don't you?" Steele seemed to have put it together, and Snake raised an eyebrow. That's exactly what Big Boss had told them it was about. But now, being faced with the situation as it was, that did not seem to be the case. The commander did not seem to be an irrational maniac. "This is beyond such petty infighting," he said.

"What do you mean when you say 'threatening the world,'" Fox asked.

"You really are mercenaries, aren't you? Doing the dirty work for your employer but not even being told why. Trust me when I say this, son: you do not want to return these plans to your bosses."

"We will carry out the job that was assigned to us," Fox told the commander, still keeping the fact that they were actually employed by the United States a secret, "and you _will_ give us that file."

"No, boy. I will not hand the world to Outer Heaven on a platter because some soldier-for-hire needs to prove how big his dick is." He looked at Suhn. "Take the blueprints back to the safe."

Snake thought he saw the faintest smirk cross the girl's face just before she opened fire on the two of them. Her first shot was a deliberate miss, aimed directly between Snake and Fox so that both of them would be thrown off guard. The following shots were better aimed and forced the soldiers into a retreat behind the mess of girders and pipes which filled the room. When her clip was empty, Suhn threw the pistol to the floor, scooped the folder and blueprints up off the desk into a hastily collected pile under her right arm. In an instant she took off at a sprint down a corridor off to the side of the desk. Fox was right on her heals, moving at a speed that Snake could barely fathom. He yelled back to the rookie only two words before he disappeared down the same corridor. "Watch him!"

Snake was only just recovering from Suhn's attack as Fox's superior reflexes carried him down the hallway. Stepping out from behind his cover he attempted to level his pistol at the commander again, but was met with a great surprise. Steele had taken this opportunity to pick up the piece of equipment that had been hidden behind him on the table, and now Snake saw clearly what it was. It was an RPG-7 rocket launcher, and it was being pointed right in his direction.

"Watch _this_," Steele taunted him, and grinned as he fired the weapon. _Oh hell_, Snake thought, and took a dive to the ground back behind the shelf which had given him cover before. The rocket slammed into it, scattered metal parts everywhere pelting Snake with little bits of shrapnel, and caused the heavy fixture to begin to tip over. Snake noticed the falling equipment with just enough time to roll out of the way. He caught a glimpse of the commander reloading the weapon through the settling dust and smoke, and jumped behind a new shelf to hide himself from view.

"I gave you a chance to let it go," Steele yelled to him. "You should have taken it. I would sooner destroy all of this than let you take it back to Outer Heaven."

He began an advance into the maze of girders and armor, and Snake began a retreat back toward the giant metal feet.


	10. More Dangerous Than a Jackal

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 10: More Dangerous Than A Jackal  
**By, Frank Hunter

Suhn bolted down the dimly lit corridor with the blueprints tucked under her arm, and Fox kept his distance behind her. He had never in all his years chased after someone who was so incredibly _fast_. Doors and fluorescent lights blew by meaninglessly, blurred by the speed, and still no progress seemed to be made. Each stretch of the hallway seemed identical to the last, the distance between the two never quite closing.

Moments like these had a way of making one forget. Big Boss didn't matter anymore. Solid Snake and Commander Steele didn't matter. Outer Heaven and South Africa didn't matter. The monstrosity out in the hangar no longer mattered. The only, single thing that mattered at that very moment was catching the girl so that those pieces of paper could be in his possession, not hers. The mission was the only thing on Fox's mind, and not the mission for a great and noble purpose either. Just the simple task in front of him of retrieving the dossier.

There was something Fox had said to his student on the plane as the two were on their way into this mess. "_Snake, there is nothing more meaningless than a soldier who does not understand what he fights for. Becoming a simple tool in a politician's war will not give your life worth._" Fox knew that there was absolutely no point fighting solely for someone else. If a soldier does not know why he is doing what he is doing, then he is nothing more than an instrument, a gear which is essential for making the big machine move but may go its entire existence without ever seeing that machine. Maybe Fox would have questioned himself as he pursued those documents blindly, documents he was required to retrieve but commanded never to look at. Maybe Snake would have found the irony of the situation, endlessly debating his mentor's position and philosophies about completing this mission and serving Big Boss. Maybe…

Maybe these things would have happened if there had been any time to consider anything but the documents.

A "t" appeared in the hallway and Suhn took a quick left. Fox's reflexes allowed him to follow and keep up, but his speed forced a shoulder into the wall as he turned. He ignored the sting that ran down his arm at the force of the blow, and still only focused his sharp mind on the girl in front of him and the papers in her hand. His pistol hung uselessly in its holster at his waist. He had tried to fire on the girl in the first stretch of hallway out of the hangar, right after he heard that loud explosion echo from behind him. He emptied his clip at her, certain that this would only be a quick engagement, and still was not entirely sure how every shot had missed. Suhn, never losing a step, seemed to dance down the corridor from side to side, dodging bullets if that was at all possible, and one time even took a quick hop off of the right wall. Fox had decided against reloading. It would slow him down and, if she was really good enough to dodge the first clip, what was there to say that she wouldn't do the same exact thing with the next?

The two passed by an open door in a flash, Suhn not losing a beat. Fox chanced a glance inside and spotted the frame of a large open safe. _Take the blueprints back to the safe_, Steele had said. But there it went. The girl had no intention of stopping and depositing the papers. Fox knew at this point there was only one thing she really could want. A fight. A battle to the death. And, he was sure that if she was going to chance an engagement like this while still holding something as valuable as those papers, she had a great deal of confidence in her skill. They turned another corner, this one a bit more gracefully than the last on Fox's part.

A little further down the chase ended as abruptly as it began, and Suhn got what she really wanted. The girl turned around mid-stride and threw the folder at her pursuer, papers scattering across the hall and the folder spinning like some weird frisbee at Fox's head. He spun his body to avoid the projectile and dampen his momentum, but upon righting himself saw that the girl had deployed two small daggers from sheaths hidden at her wrists. He grounded his feet as Suhn began a lunge at him, her right arm forward. Without missing a beat, he pulled his combat knife from its place at his hip, parried the assault and took a step backward. The left arm came around for his side, and he parried this as well, backing down another step, treading carefully over the fallen documents.

Fox was quick to learn that Suhn was as fast with the knives as she was on her feet. Her assaults were relentless and she continually pressed the soldier backwards, invoking a series of parries, dodges and retreats. This girl, not even close to being out of her teens, was giving FOX-HOUND's greatest warrior a run for his money. This young girl. This scrawny girl. This deadly girl.

Other thoughts began to force their way into Gray Fox's mind.

He didn't bother wondering what had been done to her to make her like this. He knew all too well the horrors that the armies of the third world committed on children. He himself was a survivor of those horrors. Having fought all his life, he didn't even really know who he was. His own real name was a mystery to him. His whole life had been one alias, one identity after another. Now, he was Gray Fox, FOX-HOUND's elite. He thought that he liked this best. Gray Fox was elegant, it was descriptive and fearsome. He identified with it well, and it had been given by Big Boss, the only superior he'd ever had whom he respected.

Before that, he had been Null. The "Perfect Soldier." It had all been nonsensical brainwashing of course, there was no such thing as perfection, Big Boss had shown him that, even if he was damn close to it. They had taken him as an adolescent, experimented on him, hypnotized his impressionable young mind, put knives in his hands and told him to kill. That's all he did back then, in his youth. Killed, because someone told him to. How many children in the world did the same thing without real motivation or reason?

Even before that, in his earliest days, he was Frank Jaeger, a name which was not his own but was now the closest thing he had; a little German boy who threatened even the most hardened African soldiers. The little hunter. The little monster. A little child, and that was all. Yet the world let this happen. Fox had left his youth behind him years and years ago, but the cycle continued. Children continued to be taken, abducted, tortured, experimented on, given weapons and shown what to do with them. This girl was living proof. No, Fox didn't need to wonder what had turned her into this creature of death and destruction. He knew what it was. He knew, he was familiar with it, and with all of his soul he hated it.

Grabbing a water mane running along the ceiling overhead with his free hand, he arched upward and connected the sole of his boot with the skin on the girl's cheek. Fox heard the packing sound of beaten flesh as she went down, hard. He pulled his honed body into a back flip, letting go of the pipe and landing on the girl's opposite side. Before he could turn to face her, Suhn had shaken the blow off, launched into a handspring, jumped to her feet, and swiped another narrowly missed blade at Fox's chest. He backed off and the dance continued, but now blood flowed from a wound on her face.

There needed to be some government in the world which looked out for these children, which ensured that no harm like this would come to them. That they would never see the horrors that Fox saw in his youth, that this girl, Suhn, must have seen too. Someone to protect them so they wouldn't need to die in the way that Fox knew he would now have to kill this one. A government, a nation which controlled war, thrived on war, but managed it in a way that supported the soldiers who fought in it. Yes…yes a cause like that would be one that Fox could follow for the rest of his days. If only someone would step up and just _do_ it…

Another few minutes of getting nowhere and the girl finally slipped up, and Fox was given his opportunity. A hasty stab to his right side allowed for a quick sidestep, and before the girl could bring her second blade down on Fox's back, he brought his knife across her right hand, slicing the palm and thumb and forcing her to drop that weapon.

She screamed, and in her pain swung her second weapon at Fox's neck. But now she was panicked, and these weren't the timed, precise movements that she had shown before. He caught that arm with his free hand and, before she had the chance to react, plunged his own weapon straight into Suhn's belly. She fell to her knees, gasping and crying as he pulled the weapon back at the ready.

The girl looked up at Gray Fox. The battle fever was gone from her and now that look was replaced with a great fear and dread. Her eyes were wide, and Fox knew what he saw there. Reflected in her pupils was the look of the childhood that was robbed of this girl when she was no doubt taken from her family. It was the terror of a little child that did not belong in this awful place, but rather playing with toys or laughing with friends under the sun in some faraway place. It was a life she would never know, because she was forced to be here by some politician's hand, and now he was forced to have done this.

And she spoke. "J…just," she whimpered out of her mouth in a heavily accented version of English. "…just stop it."

Suhn's arms hung limply at her sides. Fox knew the wound he caused to her stomach would result in almost fifteen minutes of excruciating pain before death finally took her. As she broke eye contact with him to close her own, and tears streamed down her face, Fox decided, with as much mercy as the soldier was capable of mustering, to save her that final torture. With a final and powerful slice of his blade, the girl's head was severed from her body, and she collapsed in a lifeless, unmoving heap on the floor.

Fox took a deep breath, closed his own eyes, and exhaled slowly, returning his own weapon to its place on his belt. Her last words had combined with the musings that had been going on in his head. "Just stop it," she'd said. The exploitation of child soldiers, yes, he would work to stop that if ever he could, there was no doubt about it. But, Fox was fairly certain that wasn't what the girl meant. Very literally she might have meant the pain in her gut, but as he turned back down the hall and began to collect up the papers that would be his ticket out of this place, he thought that he really understood.

Yes, Big Boss had told him and Snake not to look at the documents, but with them scattered across the floor Fox didn't have much of a choice. The blueprints detailed a machine unlike any the soldier had ever seen before. The feet outside in the hangar were indeed only a starting point. Flipping through the pages Fox saw, under the heading **TX-55**, that there would be an entire mechanical creature built on that foundation. It would tower over conventional artillery, and would be armored enough to protect it from mortars and cannons.

The creature would be a walking arsenal, toting guns and missiles, more ammunition than could be supplied to a small army. His mouth hung open as he looked over all of this, and flipped to another page. On this new paper, under the same heading, Fox could make out a round shape: three curved trapezoids around a circle which formed the international symbol for radiation. This monster, in addition to a standard armament, would be authorized to carry a payload of nuclear warheads. "My God…" Fox muttered to himself, mind wandering to the nuclear stockpile that Snake had stumbled across out in the hangar. This was a nightmare.

Composing himself, Fox tucked all the blueprints neatly into their folder, and put a hand to his radio. He didn't ever like to bother his CO too often during a mission, but under the circumstances he felt it couldn't be helped. It was still tuned to the right frequency anyway.

"This is Gray Fox, your reply."

Static crackled for a second before a familiar voice answered him. "Big Boss here, what's your status."

"Boss, I've got the dossier. Repeat, mission accomplished, but the situation is far worse than we could have imagined."

"Go on…" Big Boss encouraged him.

Fox explained about the behemoth under construction in the hangar, and the mysterious documents labeled **TX-55** which were now in his possession. He told his CO his suspicions about what Steele was trying to do…about what this nation Outer Heaven was _planning_ to do.

"How do we react to this?" he asked.

Big Boss took several moments of deep silence before presenting his operative with the new plan.


	11. The CoverUp

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 11: The Cover-Up****  
**By, Frank Hunter

A wave of machine gun fire sprayed through a shelf of steel pipes and Snake once more hit the deck and retreated, sliding on his belly toward thicker cover. Steele was not hesitant in the slightest to open fire on the intruder, with a clear shot or not, and the nuclear stockpile which rested very close by did not seem to be doing anything to dissuade him. He had, however, decided to strap the RPG-7 to his back in favor of an assault rifle. Snake thanked God and fate for small favors. The commander, though a little overeager, apparently was not willing to cause obscene damage so quickly.

Snake continued his slow retreat into the dark maze, followed by this over armed, overzealous madman. He wished that he'd managed to collect a claymore mine or two on this mission. A trap like that in the right place probably could have ended this fight fairly quickly, but all he had were his firearms and his green pineapples, and he didn't want to use the grenades. A stray throw or retaliation from his assailant could very well cause a nuclear explosion. Snake, unlike Steele, had a will to continue living.

"Afraid to stand and fight, dog?" the commander yelled at him blindly. "Not so tough when it's a fair fight, are you?" Snake wasn't sure how fair the fight really was, but the question at least prompted him to momentarily wonder how well Fox was doing with the girl. After all, all he really needed to do here was to buy some time until Fox managed to collect the dossier and return to finish the fight with Steele. It was simple. Just hide and survive, and it would all be over in due time.

But Snake knew that wasn't the way it really was.

_What if there is no Gray Fox? What if that girl actually manages to kill him?_ Snake allowed himself to contemplate this thought while he rolled onto an empty shelf. He dropped out the back side just as the commander turned the corner, and trained his crosshairs on the point where Snake had just been.

If Fox failed, it would be up to Snake to finish here as quickly as possible and resume the chase after the girl. If Fox failed, and Snake could not collect the dossier, it would be solely his fault that the mission was a failure. He would no doubt be rejected from FOX-HOUND, if he wasn't killed in South Africa before that. He knew that he needed to start thinking of this in terms of a solo mission. Next time, if there _was_ a next time, there _wouldn't_ be a Fox to help him at all. The whole deal would be on his shoulders. Why should this job be any different?

Turning another corner, Snake found himself face-to-foot with the monstrosity under construction in the hangar. He could hear the footsteps of Commander Steele not too far behind him. They were slowing down, and the man's breathing was harder and heavier. _That's what he gets for toting so much artillery,_ Snake thought to himself.

"This is insanity, boy," the commander yelled, while Snake took a look up the side of the steel foot. "You're telling me," he muttered. There were still panels missing from the sides of the foot, and wires jutting out through small openings. "You're working toward the end of the world," Steele continued. "You can't want that." Snake redoubled his desire to end this as quickly as possible, and take off after the mission objective himself. Wedging his boot into one of the open panels in the side of the behemoth, he began to climb.

When the foot was finished, Snake had no doubt it would be a smooth, metallic surface. However, it was still unfinished enough to give him plenty of footing, and he managed his ascent without much difficulty. The commander ran by beneath him once during his climb, but apparently didn't have the creative insight to actually look up, and missed Snake altogether. Once before reaching the top, he heard the thunder of machine gun fire and braced himself, certain that he'd been found out. But, the commander was not even nearby. The man was getting panicked, shooting at shadows. That made the situation even more dangerous, but in a way made Solid Snake more confident. He had the high ground, and the upper hand.

He reached the top of the foot and lowered himself into a prone position. Un-strapping the R4 rifle from his back, he loaded the chamber and took a deep breath. His eyes having adjusted a bit to the dark, he scanned the hallways below and without much effort, found the commander still weaving in and out like a mouse in a maze.

Snake steadied the rifle, with its butt against his shoulder and its barrel rested on a risen piece of the construction project's armor. He held it steady, and watched the commander run a little longer. Once more, the man turned a corner and opened fire on a pile of debris, resulting in a scattered scurrying of rats that must have, up until that moment, considered the place a haven. But Steele didn't stop for long. He was dragging and panting, but still moving. Snake waited longer. He would only have one shot; that much he knew. If he missed, his position would be sacrificed. A sniper that revealed his location was as good as dead, that much he remembered from his Green Beret training, but against an enemy so armed was even worse. There was no chance in hell he'd be able to safely avoid the RPG from his vantage point. If Steele knew where he was, within seconds there would be an explosion on top of the metal foot, and Snake would either be blown off or blown away entirely. _Not gonna happen_, he said to himself. _One shot's all I need. Just need the right angle._

After another minute of yelling, swearing, and aiming, Steele finally stopped for a breather, and Snake cursed inwardly. The commander had come to rest with a shelf of girders between himself and the other man. He was leaning against it; his back just showing around the side of it, and Snake tried to line up a shot, but couldn't guarantee a kill. The head was blocked, and the bulk of his body was blocked. Snake could shoot straight, he had confidence in that, but there was no real certainty that the bullet which grazed the back of his adversary would incapacitate him, let alone kill him. Snake squinted, trying his very best to line something up, but he simply couldn't. To make matters worse, half of the man's protruding back was blocked by the damn RPG he had strapped to his shoulder…

_The RPG!_ The Idea hit Snake like a tidal wave. _That maniac reloaded it before he took off after me._ He shifted his focus, and sure enough at the tip of the RPG-7, a grenade sat at rest, ready to be fired. It was true, if the commander knew his location, that grenade would become Snake's worst enemy, but as long as it was strapped to the man's back it might be made his greatest ally.

Snake steadied his hand, and checked to make sure the nuclear stockpile was still on the other side of the room. It was. All of this reasoning had happened in less than ten seconds. The grenade, which swayed on the end of its launcher with each breath the commander drew, was moving more slowly now. The man was catching his wind, and it would only be a matter of moments now before he began to move again. That couldn't be allowed, it might ruin the plan. The grenade slid to the left, and Snake trained his sight on where it just was, waiting. The few moments felt like a lifetime.

With a final inhalation, Commander Steele straightened his back. He was about to take his first step forward toward the scattered debris pile when he heard the gunshot off to his side. Beginning to twist his body in response, he heard the _clang_ of metal on metal just behind his head. The commander did not have time for even one thought to go through his head before a wave of shrapnel took that very path. The exploding grenade blew the back of his head to a bloody pulp, and knocked the girders just next to it off their shelves. The falling metal collapsed against the lower part of the man's body and pinned his legs to the ground, crushing them beyond repair.

Snake watched the beginning of this from his vantage point, but took a swift jump off the metallic foot before the chain reaction could reach its conclusion. He needed to reach the commander, disarm him, and confirm his death as quickly as possible. That was the safest way to handle this. Snake weaved his way through the still-falling mess of metal, his R4 held out in front of him at the ready. Though he didn't expect there should be any more trouble from the commander, it didn't pay to be careless.

After a couple of twists and turns, he found the bloody mess that used to be his adversary lying on the ground. His lungs were still pumping, an action that must have been a force of sheer will alone. A good deal of his skin had been torn from the bone which had held it in place. A good deal of the bone had also been shattered. The man was broken, his rifle forgotten off to his side, but Snake wasn't taking any chances. He cocked his weapon.

The wheezing breathing from the commander became louder, but his head did not turn in Snake's direction. Snake didn't believe him capable of such a motion anymore. Nevertheless, the man knew he was there, and through a great effort managed to speak.

"Pleassse," he wheezed in a raspy choke. "Don't re…return it to _them_. They spell _doom_ for…for us all."

"Rest easy," Snake assured him, coming slowly closer and around to his front. "We don't work for Outer Heaven."

The man said nothing, but his breathing continued on in that forced way. His curiosity, whatever bit of it was intact, was piqued. "W…who?" he stammered.

Face to face with the wreck of a man now, Snake saw no need to keep the secret from him anymore. He wouldn't be telling anyone, after all. "We're operatives with FOX-HOUND, and the U.S. government."

Commander Steele coughed violently and spit up an amount of blood which might have been alarming in other circumstances. Here it just fell into the puddle around him. The man closed his eyes. "That…that…is much worse."

Snake sighed and raised his rifle to the dying man's head. With this situation unfolding around him, the last thing he needed to deal with at the moment was anti-American prejudice. There was no chance in hell that bringing the documents in question to Big Boss back at headquarters could be as detrimental as a return of this metal monster to the violent and unstable nation of Outer Heaven. It was just the babble of a dying bigot.

After a few more strained respirations, Snake pulled the trigger, and the single gunshot echoed through the hangar. With the final bullet in his head, Steele was finally dead and the horrible sound of his breathing stopped. Snake wasted no time and made a break back toward the door that Suhn had fled through earlier.

Turning past the final obstacle of construction materials, the hallway came into view, and Snake almost couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Gray Fox booking it at full speed back toward him. Under his arm was a folder full of papers.

"Fox!" he yelled, half in excitement, half in amazement. He smiled at the veteran soldier.

Gray Fox didn't return the gesture. "Come on," he shouted and gripped Snake's arm, altering his direction back into the hangar. They passed the remains of the commander sprawled across the floor. Snake reprimanded himself for the emotion later, but as they ducked around the fallen man he felt a twinge of anger at Fox for not even uttering a word of congratulation or understanding. He just kept running.

Not a minute later the two of them stood before the nuclear stockpile, and Fox approached it. Dropping to a knee, he tossed the folder on the ground beside him and opened a panel on one of the warheads. Pressing a button, he found that it was very much alive.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Snake demanded, almost panicked. He wanted nothing to do with these bombs.

"We need to destroy this facility," Fox replied, his veneer of calm wavering under the circumstances. "Boss's orders."

"We're going to nuke it?!" Snake demanded again. Fox didn't answer. He was busy recalling the instructions he'd been given by FOX-HOUND's nuclear tech a few minutes back, in the hallway by the fallen body of Suhn.

"What about Zamdela? There's a town here well within blasting radius!"

Fox faltered at that thought, but only for a second. He had brought a timer up on the small screen behind the panel. "This is a hardened shelter. It'll probably contain the blast." He set the timer for fifteen minutes.

"You don't know that!" Snake growled at him.

Fox pounded his fist on the nuke and turned his cold gaze to Snake, pinning him as fully as if he'd slammed him to the ground with his hands. "We _don't_ have a choice!" he yelled at the rookie. "It _needs_ to be destroyed, Snake. We _DO NOT_ have a choice!"

Snake's eyes darted left and right, taking in Fox's piercing stare for a moment before coming to a realization. "…you saw something in the files. You read them, didn't you?"

Fox scowled, and released Snake from his stare, returning his attention to the bomb. He again didn't answer.

"What was in there?" Snake asked.

"It's better you don't know," Fox told him half-attentively, pressing several more buttons. "It would be better if I didn't…"

He hit one final button and the timer set to 15:00:00 began to quickly count down.

"What about us?" Snake asked his mentor, as Fox snatched up the folder and got to his feet. Snake followed suit. "We won't get to the LZ in time."

"Chopper's on its way. It'll meet us at the perimeter in ten minutes. Slight change of plan, I know, but it's necessary." Fox turned to look at him one last time, but the painful stare that was there before was now missing. Now it was just an air of sincerity. "Snake, you've done well here. You've done nothing wrong, and you'll have my approval to get into the unit when we get back. But for now, shut up. Stop asking questions and just follow my lead. I know what's going on here, and you don't. If everything doesn't go well we may not get out alive, so let's go." He pulled his pistol and cocked it. Snake did the same with his R4, slamming another magazine into it. He did this without a word.

"Back to the surface," Fox said, and took off toward the elevator at a sprint. Snake followed, his veins practically pumping pure adrenaline, and prepared for this last mad dash for victory.

14:42:63


	12. Exfiltration

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 12: Exfiltration  
**By, Frank Hunter

_14:32:76_

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach the basement after Fox nudged the button with his sidearm. Time, however, was a luxury that these two soldiers could not afford. Fox wasn't sure who had called it back up in the first place, but he prepared himself for a car full of armed guards; men who had heard the weapons fire between Snake and the Commander and were prepared for anything. He stood off to the side of the door, by the control panel, with Snake striking a similar pose on the other side.

The rookie was edgy, but he'd done well. His look was one of anticipation; a combat high, but as best as the FOX-HOUNDer could see, there was no fear there. A little more hardening and he could probably even handle a solo mission, though with a positive report back at base, he would soon have no choice. Big Boss thrived on solo missions, that's all his men were expected to do. The way the boss saw things, he was the only one coordinating a squad. Each individual soldier on each individual mission was just a piece of the whole. Snake would fall into place at Big Boss's hand, just as Fox had so many years ago.

_14:26:33_

Snake tried desperately to remember his Green Beret training as the elevator car finished its descent. He got into position on the left side of the door not so much because experience taught him to, but because he was mimicking Fox's own actions. He allowed his body to run on automatic while his mind tangled hopelessly with the situation at hand.

Were they really setting off a nuke?

_Yes_.

Would the people in the town nearby survive the blast?

_Maybe_.

Should he stop this madness before it went too far?

_Probably_.

_Could_ he stop Gray Fox if he decided it was the right thing to do?

_Probably not_.

For the first time in his long career, Solid Snake was faced with a moral choice that did not seem to have a right answer. He knew that the detonation was wrong, but he could find no plausible way to stop it. Anything he tried would be thwarted by Gray Fox, and he would lose any hope he had of joining FOX-HOUND. He'd destroy his reputation which, right then, was nothing more than a house of cards anyway.

_Do I really _want_ to join this unit, if this is what I'll be expected to do?_ Snake tangled with this question as the bell for the elevator rang and the door slid open. The compartment was blissfully empty.

Half-heartedly following his mentor inside, he looked out at the shell of the beast in the hangar one last time. He knew Fox had seen something he hadn't, but you didn't need to be a genius to put together what was going on at this base. That thing was dangerous, and if it were allowed to get out, the devil only knew what kind of trouble it could cause for the entire world. The detonation was ruthless, yes, and he'd come to expect that from Fox, but maybe this sacrifice here would save a billion later on.

The door slid closed, and the decision was no longer in his hands. Solid Snake felt some remorse, but little did he know that this move was the first step toward his eventual legacy.

_12:34:54_

The elevator opened on the first floor and the two bullets were only milliseconds ahead of Gray Fox, exploding out of the car. The shots found the two guards who had been waiting for the elevator and, of course, resulted in clean kills.

_There's the little Hunter at work!_ a voice seemed to echo in his head out of nowhere. Fox pushed it aside. The little Hunter. Frank Jaeger. Voices out of a past he had disciplined himself to forget. The confrontation with Suhn had brought about troubling memories, but now was not the time to be bothered by them. The mission was not finished yet. Fox cleared his mind and took off down the hallway, retracing his earlier steps with the rookie in tow.

Right. Left. Left. Guard. Knife. Blood. Right.

The soldiers darted through the hallway for several minutes, moving ever closer to the eventual exit when the radio in his ear rang twice. A much more real voice filled his head.

"Big Boss here. Status update."

Fox came to a sudden stop, too sudden for Snake to react, but the older man didn't miss a beat. He pivoted on one foot, pushed Snake on ahead of him and followed behind for cover. Snake turned the next corner and took out the next two guards while Fox answered the radio.

"Gray Fox here. Eleven minutes to go on detonation. What's the status of our evac?"

"The bird is flying. She should be there within five minutes, at the base's perimeter as agreed."

"Boss, it would be better if the chopper could pick us up at the base itself."

"Repeat?"

"There is a helipad on the base. Sentry on the tower has been neutralized. No alarms have been sounded, repeat we are still code green. Given the situation, I would prefer on site pick-up, sir."

"Hold, Gray Fox." Snake faltered for a moment at a cross in the hallway. Fox shoved him to the left and the two continued on, awaiting a reply.

"Gray Fox, you are cleared for pick-up on the base's heliport. Five minute ETA. Big Boss out."

_10:11:73_

The two soldiers finally came to the side door they had used to gain entrance to the base. Stopping for the first time since the elevator, Fox again took point and pushed the door slowly open, peering through the crack. Snake felt relief flow over him as his mentor pushed the door open all the way, and the two looked out upon an abandoned heliport bathed in moonlight. Four more minutes would bring them safety and escape.

But, unbeknownst to the two, back in the base, in the bathroom next to the elevator, a soldier had awoken. Mark stumbled out of the restroom half hoping he had dreamed the encounter with the intruders, when he came across the two corpses left by Gray Fox in front of the elevator. Before passing out once more in a haze of revulsion and fear, Mark managed to hit the button for the alarm on the wall.

_09:59:99_

The earsplitting sound of the siren and the flash of red lights came abruptly, ruining the serenity of the moonlit base. Snake fell back onto his guard at once. "Damn!" he exclaimed despite himself.

Fox scowled and wasted no time moving to two stacks of three metal crates set against the wall of the base. He gestured Snake to come join him. "They'll be coming to check out here," Fox assured him. "The front door is going to open now. It's only a matter of time. We need to set these against the side door and block it if we want any chance of survival. Help me drag it."

The two men attempted to drag a stack, but found it much too heavy to move. So, they got to work carrying one crate at a time. Snake found it incredible how efficiently one could work if his life was on the line. They got five crates against the door and were just returning for the sixth when the rumbling sound began.

_08:42:51_

Fox tapped Snake's shoulder, and the two returned to their makeshift barricade, ignoring the final crate. Snake was fairly sure the five they'd compiled would be enough to hold the door. Fox hoped.

Chancing a glance over their barricade, Fox saw that the squad Snake had described earlier, those with the black armbands, were flooding out of the front door and fanning out. Somehow, they'd known where to look for the intruders. Gunfire erupted and Fox ducked back behind the crates as a storm of bullets struck them. The shots ricocheted in all directions, and as soon as they ceased Snake peeked around the crates and returned fire. Another hailstorm erupted to meet him. Snake swore outwardly again, pulling his hands back behind cover.

Fox pulled his combat knife from its sheath and sitting with his back to the crates, held it just above their barricade. Eying the reflection carefully, he studied the formation of the attacking guards. "Two flanking on the left," he told his partner. Snake responded, getting into a prone position with the business end of his R4 pointed to the side of the barricade. Fox patted his back, then pulled a green pineapple from the other man's belt, never lowering the knife and never taking his eyes off it. He brought the grenade to his mouth and bit the pin, counting silently to himself.

At "3," Fox lobbed the grenade backward over his head and over the barricade. It clattered to the floor at the feet of three unprepared guards.

At "4," Snake opened fire, and dropped the two men flanking their position, overconfident that they had the element of surprise.

At "5," the pineapple exploded and the three guards were out of the picture. More gunfire exploded toward their position and the two men huddled lower, biding their time as the battle raged on.

_06:03:29_

The door on their right began to shake and clatter, as the soldiers on the other side attempted to come through. Fox sheathed his combat knife and drew his sidearm, preparing for the barrier to give and to be overwhelmed from the side. He slid closer to Snake and away from the door. They might use explosives to try and blow it open, and he had no intention of being burned.

"We need to retreat!" Snake shouted as he fired a few more bullets around the side. "We can't hold here anymore!"

"Retreat where?" Fox asked through clenched teeth, raising his pistol at the door. "Chopper can't land in the jungle, and we've got no cover from there to here. Plus there's that bomb to worry about. We've waited too long to go on foot. This is our only choice! Just hold."

"Ugh," Snake grunted and reloaded his weapon.

_05:34:15_

The door opened just wide enough for a grenade to fit through. Before the soldiers on the other side could come up with it, Fox tore one from Snake's belt, pulled the pin and rolled it through the opening. Five seconds later there was an explosion, and he managed to close the door again, this time bracing his back against it. They had no trouble from that side for a minute.

_04:52:37_

Just as Snake was beginning to be sure that this place would become their grave, the sound of rotors came up from behind them, and a crackle came over the radio, followed by a drawling, southern-sounding accent."

"Fahx 1, this is Ahlbahtross 1, ovah."

The door on the side slammed open again and the barrel of an R4 poked out, blocking Fox from closing it completely. He put all of his body weight against it, trying to prevent it from opening any further. With Fox indisposed, Snake answered the radio. "Albatross 1, this is Fox 1. Awaiting pickup, over."

"That you boys stuck in a rut ovah there? Ovah."

"Roger. Help would be appreciated, over."

"Bahss said heliport was clear, ovah."

Snake rolled his eyes and practically snarled back into the radio. "The boss was wrong, wasn't he? Things changed and we need help, God dammit!." Then, as an afterthought, "Over."

There was silence for a moment, interrupted only by a small "Heh," from Gray Fox. Then their answer came.

"Ahlright boys, you just hang ohn. We got'ya. Ahlbahtross 1 out." Snake breathed a small sigh of relief as the rifle fire from ahead was gradually replaced by gattling fire from above. The soldiers at the base's main entrance began to either fall back or fall dead.

_03:24:49_

The remains of attacking squad retreated into the cover of the base as the chopper set down as close to the two soldiers as it could. With its support, the men sprinted over and leapt on board. "Go!" Fox yelled, as soon as he was inside.

"Roger," said the pilot, and he wasted no time.

_02:57:23_

Just as the chopper took off, the side door was thrown open. Gray Fox was ready for it. He had relieved the soldier on the gattling gun and manned it himself. While the chopper turned and flew away, Fox mowed down each man that stepped through. Five total. Snake watched on with enmity, but this time not at his mentor for the needless killing. This time at the guards, for almost taking his own life. Maybe it was selfish, he knew, but his self preservation instinct had overruled his compassion. Those men had tried to kill him, and so they deserved to die. Snake thought that now…now that his life had been on the line, he might understand Fox's ruthlessness, at least a little bit.

In any case, those men were already sentenced to death.

_02:22:13_

With passengers aboard and seated, doors closed and hostiles in retreat, Albatross 1 began its trip back to base. There a plane was crewed and fueled, waiting to take the tired operatives back home. Fox stared out the window in thought, watching the sun almost rising. Snake lit up a cigarette, still too pumped with adrenaline to think, but trying very hard to sit still.

_00:00:00_

The sound was like thunder, but louder than any bolt ever heard on this world. Most people, when confronted with the image of a nuclear explosion, picture an intense light and a mushroom cloud. In South Africa, the blast was partially contained by the hardened shelter around it. There was no brilliant flash, except to those unfortunate souls who still happened to be inside, and they never got much of a chance to appreciate it. The mushroom cloud never happened, though smoke and debris was strewn everywhere around the blast site. It was not conventional, but it was a nightmare.

The base was no more. The prototype Metal Gear was blown to ash along with the nuclear stockpile. The ground, unable to hold up against the pressure of an atomic blast, began to collapse on itself. A chain reaction was caused which, for miles, looked like an earthquake. The dirt fell in, trees tumbled like dominoes and wildlife scattered, trying helplessly for survival. The result was a crater several miles in diameter of complete and total ruin.

Though the people of Zamdela were rudely awakened early that morning, Snake later learned that the town itself was spared. The people wondered what happened and scouted the crater. The government eventually mounted an investigation and detected the levels of radiation left by the exploded bomb, but was at a loss. The base had been run by the National Party, who had been ousted from power. The current government of South Africa had had no idea of the base's existence, or the details of the project going on there. The NP officials denied all knowledge of the base, and Outer Heaven never admitted to exactly what was stolen. The entire ordeal remained a mystery and a cover-up.

And, the two men who were responsible for the blast, the only two who still knew exactly what had happened there, fled the country before anyone even knew they were there…


	13. Debriefing

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Chapter 13: Debriefing****  
**By, Frank Hunter

Big Boss sat at the conference table, a cigar idly in one hand and his eye constantly returning to the closed folder on the table as the two men described to him what they encountered in the base. There was no humor amongst them, not like there had been the previous day when they had parted. Now it was all business.

"You said two metal seats?" he asked.

"No sir," Snake answered. Fox stared off with his arms crossed. The older man was being particularly quiet. He had been since the helicopter pick-up, and that made Snake edgy. He had hoped to get to speak with Fox about the hangar one more time, but it seemed Fox was in no mood for conversation. He had kept to himself.

They didn't talk on the flight, and Snake found after some effort that he could not sleep. His conscience kept going back to the detonation of the nuke and the lives which he feared he might be responsible for taking. His curiosity kept going back to the dossier and its mysterious contents. His anticipation was aroused over whether or not he'd be let into the unit. That was something else he'd wanted to ask Fox and had not gotten the chance.

"Two metal _feet. _They looked like they were designed to hold some kind of cockpit, but it wasn't built yet."

"Mm hm…" Big Boss mused. "And the nuclear stockpile?"

"Six bombs," Snake replied. "Possibly something to do with the mystery weapon, or possibly something else entirely. Sir, I think it's likely that the base was a mobilization point for a small army looking to regain control of the country." He looked to Fox for support, but the other man didn't flinch. "The base's commander was ranting about how building that machine would protect the world. He was mad."

"You spoke to him?"

"Yes sir. He was desperate to keep the plans and wanted to stop them from being returned at all costs. There's no telling exactly what he would have done if he had finished it."

Big Boss cracked the first hint of a smile. "But he did not. You stopped him, you destroyed it, and now the plans are here safely with me." He patted the folder on the table. "You have done a great service for your country and indeed for the entire world, Solid Snake."

Abashed by the compliment but trying not to show it, Snake pressed on. "Sir, I would highly suggest investigating into this Outer Heaven. If the base's commander had any reason to feel threatened, I think we can suspect that something is going on there at least. They might have a nuclear stockpile, or might be further along on that machine than the South Africans were. We should look into it."

Big Boss nodded. "I fully intend to, but for now you've done your part Snake. And, it would seem you did it well." He looked over at Fox who quickly met his gaze. "Is that so?"

Fox became animated immediately. His face brightened and he sat up straighter. "The rookie did some nice work. I saw marksmanship, tact and composure under pressure. He's still a little green," Snake winced at this slightly, "but we can fix that. He's tough enough. I'd work with him again."

"High recommendation," Big Boss beamed and Snake found himself speechless. True they had just completed a mission as partners, but as he sat there taking in the praise, it was hard not to see Gray Fox as the legend that he was. The soldier was overwhelmed.

"It would seem," the commander went on, "that you've earned a place with FOX-HOUND. That is, if you still want it?"

Forgetting his reservations about before, Snake said with minimal hesitation, "I would be honored, sir."

"Hah!" exclaimed Big Boss. Fox got up, held out his hand and smiled at Snake. "Welcome to the unit."

Snake took it and shook hard, feeling the greatest sense of accomplishment of his life. "We'll hammer out the details tomorrow," Big Boss told him. "You look exhausted, Snake. Why don't you return to your quarters and get some sleep? I can get the rest of the details from Fox."

Snake nodded, still having trouble with words. "Thanks," he said as he got out of his chair. He was a little reluctant to leave, but both men were now silently looking at him and he understood an exit prompt when he saw one. Snake made for the door.

"Nice work, rookie," Fox said one more time after him. "I'll see you around."

"See you," Snake replied, and closed the door behind him.

He turned and made for the mess hall instead of the sleeping quarters, knowing he'd never sleep. As he did, one thought passed quickly and angrily through his head. _They don't want to talk with me there_.

He brushed it aside. Such was the game with FOX-HOUND. An organization like this one was full of secrets and intrigue. Sooner or later he'd get himself into the inner circle. He'd become a Fox in some way or another. In the meantime it was prestigious enough just to be here, just to be invited. Snake tried to focus on the positive as he walked down the hall, taking in the fact that this place was now his home.

Meanwhile, back in the conference room, the mood had drastically changed.

"Alright, now level with me," Big Boss told his lieutenant.

"About Snake?" Fox clarified.

"Don't be a smartass. About the mission. I think you've already guessed the situation with Snake."

Fox sat back down. "They're brothers, aren't they?"

Big Boss nodded slowly. "Did he see the files?"

"No," Fox answered, and his commander looked relieved. "His guess was wrong, boss. That base wasn't for mobilization. That whole nuclear stockpile, the supporting military, all of it was just to compliment the thing they were building." He reached over and flipped the folder open. "Outer Heaven is calling it 'Metal Gear,' prototype TX-55." He turned the pages slowly, showing Big Boss schematics detailing every inch of Metal Gear.

"It's going to be a bipedal tank, and it's going to carry nukes. Outer Heaven must be planning a show of strength for the entire world." Fox pulled out another page. "And here are a few development notes from one Dr. Petrovich Madnar."

"Madnar…" Big Boss just nodded again.

"It seems he's the key to this whole project, and he's being held there against his will. Boss, if we can get in and capture the engineer, we might be able to avert this whole disaster." The commander just looked defeated.

"Boss?" Fox inquired, concernedly. "You alright?"

"It's nothing. I wish you had not looked at the files, Frank. But I suppose after seeing this myself, you're the only man I would have trusted."

"Thank you. I didn't open it deliberately."

Big Boss waved him off. "I know. I'll have to report this to the president. I'll mention your plan about Madnar. If I get the green light to infiltrate Outer Heaven, it's going to be you who does the legwork."

"Of course."

"And no word of any of these details to anyone. Not even Snake."

"Boss," Fox looked slightly insulted. "It's me."

Big Boss smiled at him one more time, and then closed the dossier. "I'm glad I have you, Frank. You're always my best man. Why don't you go get some rest? We can continue this discussion when I get back from the White House."

"I'll be in the training center," Fox said indignantly and rose again. "I need some work dealing with closed doors."

Without another word, he was off. Big Boss was curious, but chose not to pry. Gray Fox was a man of few words, and Big Boss had no problem keeping it that way. He collapsed in his chair, eye rolling back to look at the folder which had caused all the trouble. Now alone with his thoughts, it was time to plan the next move. Naturally, as always it seemed with FOX-HOUND, there was still much to be done.


	14. Gratuitious Phone Call

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Final Chapter: The Gratuitous One-Sided Phone Call****  
**By, Frank Hunter

_Big Boss here._

…

_The documents are safely in my possession. I'll be sending them back to you. Do try not to lose them again._

…

_It's been destroyed. That's one less problem on our minds. Don't worry about South Africa._

…

_No, I don't think they'll be foolish enough to try again, but we need to tighten security._

…

_Not the Patriots either. I wouldn't put it past them, but Zero doesn't know what we're doing. Not yet._

…

_Well I don't need to tell the president everything, do I?_

…

_The problem is Gray Fox._

…

_He read the files. He knows all about Metal Gear. We need him safely out of the way before he becomes an obstacle to our plans._

…

_No, he's much too loyal and valuable to terminate. Also, I think he can help us. He's just not ready for the truth yet._

…

_I'm sending him to you. He thinks he's going on an infiltration mission, but he'll really be walking into a net._

…

_When he arrives at the fortress, you be ready for him._

…

_Snipers. Tranquilizers. Do what it takes. Just warn them not to engage him in close combat. We don't need to lose any good men over one cornered Fox._

…

_Well if you hadn't lost the damn blueprints in the first place we wouldn't have this problem._

…

_Uh huh…_

…

_The South Africans wouldn't have made any copies, and they won't tell the U.N. This is an embarrassment for them too._

…

_That reminds me, how close is our own unit to completion?_

…

_And Madnar is still working?_

…

_Then it's not much longer until Outer Heaven…_

…

_I want regular reports until it's done. And what are you doing about that resistance group?_

…

_I'm aware, but they could cause more problems if we don't…_

…

_Uh huh…_

…

_Deal with it as soon as you have the resources then. Just don't leave them unchecked._

…

_Me? I need to stay here a while longer. FOX-HOUND requires my attention. But when Metal Gear is complete I'll come out to see it._

…

_Yes, and I'll need you in FOX-HOUND to look after that. You'll be coming back to America once I get there. Think of it as paid vacation._

…

_I aim to please._

…

_Him?_

…

_He performed superbly. At least that's what Fox said. It would seem _Les Enfants Terrible_ was a success._

…

_Solid Snake._

…

_Yes I know. I don't care._

…

_He's uninformed, but if he starts to pry I'll keep it in mind._

…

_He won't. Nothing is going to get in the way of Outer Heaven now._

…

_You'll keep me posted then?_

…

_Good. Thank you._

…

_Right._

…

_And then the Patriots will fall. I could not have done this without you, Ocelot. The world will show us their gratitude, you'll see. _

…

_I look forward to seeing it all play out. Good bye._

*Click*


	15. Conclusions

**The Road to Outer Heaven  
Conclusions****  
**By, Frank Hunter

And that brings _The Road to Outer Heaven_ to its conclusion. We all know what happens next. Gray Fox gets sent to Outer Heaven to investigate, gets captured, and sends back his famous 2 word message. Big Boss sends Solid Snake in to follow up, not expecting him to actually be able to interfere (and probably expecting to take him out of the way as he did Fox) when Snake exceeds all expectations and brings Outer Heaven down. For more details, go play the original Metal Gear.

Now that I've reached the end, there are just a few things I would like to say before I consider the story closed. Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story, or taken the time to comment me in some other way. This has been going on for over a year and a half now, so _The Road to Outer Heaven_ has a lot of meaning for me. It is my first lengthy, completed work, and I truly respect and appreciate all the critique, advice and opinions I've received since starting out in 2007. Comparing the look of chapter 1 with the look of later chapters like 10 and 13, I feel like my writing has improved some as a result of it. In a way it is very sad that it is finally over. But I digress. Thank you all for getting me to the end.

Secondly, it is true that there was an epilogue planned for _The Road to Outer Heaven_. It was about 12 pages long, but was lost when I got a new computer, got over-excited and wiped the memory of my old machine. Needless to say, more than a few fragile items got smashed when I realized what I did. I am not particularly inclined to redo the epilogue, but my numbers tell me a lot of people have followed this fic, and if enough of you want it and clamor for it, I'll probably put it out there. I'm a sucker for peer pressure.

Thirdly, with the last chapter of _Legend of the White Devil _aside_, _I have no current Metal Gear projects in the works. That's only because I can't come up with a new topic I feel interested in exploring. For those of you that enjoy reading my work, if there is a particular aspect of the Metal Gear timeline that you feel deserves some attention, by all means send it out to me. Just for the record, if I _do_ accept a suggestion, I _will_ give credit to whomever suggested the idea, but anything I publish I will consider my own work.

Lastly, you can follow my other projects from my profile page, accessible from the top of the screen somewhere I'm sure. I keep a short journal in there with information about works in progress. Currently, I'm working on something from the Fallout 3 universe, and if you're interested you can follow me over to that section. I can always use constructive criticism and motivation, and my readers here have shown that they have an abundance of both.

Thanks again to everyone, and I hope you've enjoyed the story. To all writers, keep up the good work. To all readers, I look forward to hearing from you again soon! Peace.

-Frank Hunter


End file.
